HUD's Relocation and Re-Occupancy Guidelines

The very nature of lead hazard control work creates more opportunities for exposure to lead, especially among children. Research indicates that large increases in children's blood lead levels can occur as a result of lead abatement activities unless special precautions are taken to keep children away from the work area during intervention.

An article describing the relocation activities observed during an evaluation of the HUD Lead Hazard Control program, jointly coordinated by the National Center for Healthy Housing and the University of Cincinnati (the Evaluators), was published in the December 2004 issue of the Journal of Housing and Community Development. The article evaluates the responses of 1,149 households whose dwellings were treated under the HUD LHC Grant between January 1994 (when data collection began) and October 1998 (when data collection ended).

Also included in this article is a section called "Lessons Learned," which discusses the valuable insights grantees gained about relocation. In 2002, NCHH staff conducted interviews with 15 relocation programs, including some HUD LHC grantees. The interviews yielded several practical guidelines.